Screen corner construction



May 14, 1935.

E. G. HUFF SCREEN CORNER CONSTRUCTION Filed March 22 ,2?) we win? WA tlttor'iz y Patented I May 14, 1935 l'lED STATES PTET FFlCE ter Manufacturing @ompany,

Cambrie,

Mesa, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 22, 1933, Serial No. 662,106

The present invention relates to framed screens and more particularly to an improved frame soldered and which does not require braces or brackets to prevent a distortion at the joints.

It is recognized that it has been proposed heretofore to provide such screens, but these constructions have not been adapted for resisting fully the strains to which the jointed corners are subjected in handling. Jointed screen frame corners are subjected to two principal strains, a strain resulting when the screen is picked up, and a strain resulting when one bottom corner of the screen is bumped as in the act of putting the screen down. When the corners are joined at angles of degrees, the act of picking up the screen from the top tends to increase the angles to more than 90 degrees, and a bumping of one bottom corner tends to increase the angle at that corner and at the diagonally opposite corner, and to decrease the angles at the other corners.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a screen frame construction in which the angles at the jointed corners are maintained undistorted in spite of the strains to which the frame is subjected in handling.

To the accomplishment of this object, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the features of the present invention reside in certain devices, combinations, and arrangements of parts fully set forth hereinafter and then pointed out in the appended claims which possess advantages readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

The various features of the present invention will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawing illustrating the best form of the invention at present known to the inventor, in which,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the screen, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a detail view in elevation of one comer of the screen;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an end portion of one of the top and bottom frame members;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an end portion of one of the end frame members;

Fig. 5 is a view insectional elevation taken along the line 5-5, Fig. 2;

, Fig. 6 is a view in plan of one end portion of the blank from which the top and bottom frame members are formed, and v Fig. 7 is a view'in plan of one end portion of the blank from which the end frame members are formed.

Referring to the drawing, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention comprises 'a rectangular sheet of screen material 1 (Fig. l) the edge portions of which are soldered or otherwise secured to rods 2 and 9 (Fig. 2). The rods 8 and 9 may be secured together with solder adjacent their ends, and are received, respectively, by channel-shaped top and bottom frame members l0 and channel-shaped end frame members H. The rods 9 are longer than the end frame members H, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and are threaded at their ends. The frame members l0 and H are made preferably of sheet metal, and the top frame member l0 may be provided with a handle 82.

Each frame member i0 is made from a blank A one end portion of which is shown in Fig. 6. The ends of the blank A are inclined equally on each side so as to form edges 13 and i4 and an intermediate end edge l5 at an angle of 45 degrees relatively to the edges l3 and H. Each end portion of the blank A is provided centrally with a pair of parallel slots l6 which extend longitudinally of the blank and are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the length of the end edge I5. An opening I! is located between each pair of] slots It.

In converting the blank A into a frame member ill, the blank is first bent as indicated by the construction lines l8 (Fig. 6) to 'form parallel wings l9 and an intermediate web portion '20 at right angles to each. of the wings, as shown in Fig. 3, and the wings is are bent as indicated by the construction lines 2! (Fig. 6) to form surfaces 22 extending inwardly at an angle of 45 degrees relatively to the wings, (Figs. 1, 2, and 3).

The wings I 9, the web 20, and the surfaces 22 are all planiform. By bending the blank A as indicated bythe construction lines Hi, the slots l6 are caused to lie on the edges of the web portion 20, as shown in Fig. 3.

Each frame member I I is madefrom a blank B one end of which is shown in Fig. '7. The blank B is substantially rectangular in shape and is provided at each end with two projecting tongues 23 each of which has a notched portion 24, the edge of which corresponds roughly with a portion of the edge of the opening H in the web 20. As indicated in Fig. 7, each tongue 23 is spaced from the adjacent side edge of the blank B and the tongues are spaced apart on each end of the blank a distance greater than the width of the webs 20 In converting the blank B into a frame member II, the blank is first bent as indicated by the construction lines 25 (Fig. 7) to form parallel wings 26 and an intermediate web portion 21 at right angles to each of the wings, as shown in Fig. 4, and the wings 26 are further bent as indicated by the construction lines 28 to form surfaces 29 extending inwardly at an angle of 45 degrees relatively to the wings (Fig. 4). The wings 26, the web 21, and the surfaces 29 are all planiform. The ends of the wings I 9 of the frame members II) are designed to overlap the ends of the wings 26 of the frame members II as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and to secure such overlapping without causing the wings i9 to flare outwardly, the web portions 21 of the frame members II are formed slightly narrower than the web portions 20 of the frame members II} as is indicated by comparison of Figs. 6 and 7.

When the blank B is converted into a frame member II, as indicated by Fig. 4, the tongues 23 extend from the ends of the wings 26 so as to leave an end edge 30 (Fig. 4) between each tongue and the adjacent edge of the web 21 and a second end edge 3I between each tongue and the adjacent end of the bent surface 29. The tongues 23 are so positioned relatively to the ends of the wings 26 that when the tongues are inserted in the slots I6 of the frame member ID, as will be explained hereinafter, the end edge I5 of the web 20 will engage the end of the web 21 of the frame member II, as shown in Fig. 2. The notches 24 of the tongues 23 are so positioned that when the tongues are bent into engagement with the webs 2|] of the frame members I0, the openings I1 between the slots I6 will remain uncovered.

In assembling the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the rods 9, to which the screen material 1 is secured, are first placed within the end frame members II. The ends of the wings I9 of the top and bottom frame members I0 are then placed over the ends of the wings 26 of the frame members II so that the tongues 23 are inserted into the slots I6 and the end edges 39 and 3I of the wings 26 and the ends of the bent surfaces 29 abut the inner face of the webs 29. The tongues 23 arepressed firmly into engagement with the outer surface of the webs 20, and the threaded ends of the rods 9 are provided with nuts 32 and 33 which are screwed into engagement with the bent tongues 23. Since the wings I9 of the top and bottom frame members III are inclined at each end at an angle of 45 degrees relatively to the webs 20, the ends of the bent surfaces 22 of the wings I9 engage the bent surfaces 29 of the wings 26, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

As shown in Fig. 5, the tongues 23 preferably have a. height slightly less than half the width of the webs 20 of the frame members I0 so that the tongues will not overlap when bent into engagement with the webs 20. It has been stated that the function of the notches 24 in the tongues 23 is to leave the openings I1 uncovered. It is clear, however, that since the function of the notches 24 is merely to leave the openings I1 uncovered, it is not essential that the edges of the notches register with the edges of the openings. A wide degree of manufacturers tolerance is thereby permitted. It should also be pointed out that when the webs 20- and 21 are wider than those indicated, the tongues 23 may have a height such that-when bent down their ends lie adjacent but do not cover any portion of the openings I1.

Intsuch a case the notches 24 may be dispensed wi h.

The screen that has been described is adapted for use where a single screen section is all that is required. The present invention is also adapted for forming a screen having a plurality of sections, as in a fire screen or the like. Several sections of the illustrated embodiment of the present invention may bev connected together pivotally by means of links (not shown) which are slipped'over the threaded ends of the rods 9 before the nuts 32 and 33 are mounted on the rods. In such a construction the links and not the nuts 32 and 33 abut the bent tongues 23. As is best shown in Fig. 2, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention is particularly adapted, by reason of the bent tongues 23, the end edges 33 and 3I of the wings 26, and the ends of the bent surfaces 29, for maintaining the angles of the corner joints at their intended size, and for resisting those strains which tend to distort the angles. The ends of the top and bottom frame members I0 are so joined to the ends of the end frame members II that the end edges 30 and 3| of the wings 26 and the ends of the bent surfaces 29 abut the inner face of the webs 20, as shown in Fig. 2, and the tongues 23 are bent into engagement with the outer face of the webs 29. Because of this construction, whereby both faces of the webs 20 are engaged tightly adjacent their ends, there is no gap between the parts permitting play or a sliding movement of the frame members when under strain. Angle-increasing strains resulting from picking the screen up by its top or from bumping one corner encounter a direct resistance in the tongues 23 which cause the end edges" of the wings 26 to abut the inner face of the webs 29 so that no separation therebetween can occur. Any strain tending to exert an upward force against the tongues 23, viewing Fig. 2, causes the wings 26 to follow the tongues. Similarly, angle-decreasing strains tending to make the frame members II) approach the frame members I I encounter an immediate resistance in the web-abuttingend edges 30 and 3| of the wings 26 and the ends of the bent surfaces 29. The construction is such that resistance to strain ex- .ists directly in the path of the strain. The nuts 32 and 33, or the links which may connect several sections of the screen, by reason of their abutment with the tongues 23, serve to maintain the tongues in their bent position so that the screen is at all times of firm construction. Additionally, since the presence of the openings I1 in the webs 20 of the top and bottom frame members tends to weaken the webs, the illustrated construction reinforces the webs to counteract this weakening. The tongues 23, held in engagement with the webs 20 by the nuts 32 and 33, re-

inforce the webs about the openings I1 so that there is no danger of the openings being ripped or enlarged when the screen is subjected to strain.

It will also be clear, as illustrated in Fig. 1, that the present construction has a neat appearance. The webs 21 of the end frame members are plain, so that an end view of the screen shows no tabs or projections upon the webs 21. The bent tongues 23 engaged with the top frame member ID are largely concealed by the nuts 33, and the bent tongues 23 engaged with the bottom frame member Iflare outside the line of vision whe the screen is in position for use.

It will be clear to those skilled in this class of devices and with the general objects of the pres-. 75

ent invention in view, that changes may be made in the details of structure, the described and illustrated embodiment thereof being intended as an exploitation of its underlying essentials, the features whereof are definitely stated in their true scope in the claims herewith.

What is claimed as new, is: a

1. In a corner construction for a screen or the like, a pair of adjacent frame members which are channel-shaped with their wings directed inwardly and their webs outwardly, the web of one member being provided with slots and an opening therebetween and the wings of the other member being provided with'tongues each of which has a notch in its free end edge, said tongues being inserted into said slots, respectively, and bent into engagement with the web of the slotted member, the notches leaving the opening uncovered, a rod the end of which projects through the opening in the slotted member, and a fastening element secured to the rod in engagement with the notched tongues.

2. A screen having top and bottom frame members and a pair of end frame members, all connected together, said frame members being channel-shaped with their wings directed inwardly and their webs outwardly, the top and bottom frame members being provided adjacent their ends with slots and an opening therebetween, and the end frame members being tongued at each end, the tongues being inserted into said slots, respectively, and bent into engagement with the respective webs of the top and bottom frame members, a sheet of screen material having its edge portions interposed between the wings of said frame members, rods the ends of which project, respectively, through the openings in the top and bottom frame members, said rods having secured thereto those edge portions of the screen material which are interposed between the wings of the respective end frame members, and fastening elements mounted on said rods to maintain the engagement of the bent tongues with the webs.

3. A frame for a screen or the like comprising two pairs of oppositely disposed frame members which are channel-shaped with their wings directed inwardly and their webs outwardly and with the free longitudinal edge portion of each wing bent inwardly to form a beveled surface, the webs of one pair of oppositely disposed frame members being provided at each end with slots and the wings of the other pair of frame members being provided at each end with tongues, the tongues being inserted through said slots, respectively, and bent into engagement with the slotted frame members, and the wings of the slotted frame members being inclined adjacent their ends so that the ends of the bevelled surfaces thereof engage the bevelled surfaces of the other pair of frame members, respectively.

4. A frame for a screen or the like comprising a pair of top and bottom frame members and a pair of end frame members all connected together, said frame members being channel-shaped with their wings directed inwardly and their webs outwardly, the webs of the top and bottom frame members being provided at each end with slots and an opening therebetween and the wings of the end frame members being tongued at each end, the tongues being inserted into said slots, respectively, and bent into engagement with the webs of the top and bottom frame members, respectively, rods the ends of which project, respectively, through the openings in the top and bottom frame members, and fastening elements mounted on the rod ends in engagement with the bent tongues.

5. A frame for a screen or the like comprising a pair of top and bottom frame members and a pair of end frame members connected thereto, said frame members being channel-shaped with their wings directed inwardly and their webs outwardly and with the free longitudinal edge portion of each end frame member wing bent inwardly to form a beveled surface, the webs of the top and bottom frame members being slotted adjacent their ends, and the wings of the end frame members being provided at each end with a tongue narrower than the wings, the tongues being inserted into said slots, respectively, and bent into engagement with the top and bottom frame members, respectively, to hold the ends of the wings of the end frame members in engagement with the edges of the webs of the respective top and bottom frame members and to hold the ends of the beveled surfaces in engagement with portions of said webs between their said edges.

6. A frame for a screen or the like comprising a pair of top and bottom frame members and a pair of end frame members connected thereto, said frame members being channel-shaped with their wings directed inwardly and their webs outwardly and with the free longitudinal edge portion of each wing bent inwardly to form a beveled surface, the webs of the top and bottom frame members being slotted adjacent their ends, and the wings of the end frame members being tongued at each end, the tongues being inserted into said slots, respectively, and bent into engagement with the top and bottom frame members, respectively, and the wings of the top and bottom frame members being inclined so that the ends of the beveled surfaces thereof engage, respectively, the beveled surfaces of the end frame members.

7. A screen comprising a substantially rectangular frame having a pair of top and bottom frame members and a pair of'end frame members connected thereto, said frame members being channel-shaped with their wings directed inwardly and their webs outwardly and with the free longitudinal edge portion of each wing bent inwardly to form a beveled surface, the top and bottom frame members being provided adjacent their ends with slots and an opening therebetween, the end frame members being tongued at each end, the tongues being inserted into said slots, respectively, and bent into engagement with the top and bottom frame members, respectively, and the wings of the top and bottom frame members being inclined so that and bottom frame members, said rods having secured thereto those edge portions of the screen material which are interposed between the wings of the respective end frame members. and fastening elements mounted on the rod ends in engagement with the bent tongues.

mamas G. min. 

